Chase
by Bored Konoha Kunoichi
Summary: .SasuSaku. Drabble series. TwentyOneThemes. Five: Don't spend all you have, believe all you hear, sleep all you want. Yeah Right.
1. Expectation

**A/N**:

**Disclaimer: **DNON. I'm a _young, _KOREAN _Girl, _NOT an amazingly artistic Japanese mangaka named Kishimoto…If I DID own Naruto, Yondie (yondaime) would've been flashing his supa-hot smile/fan service every single chapter, and Sasu-chan would also show his face and get it on somewhere dark with Saku-chan…*giggles*

**Warnings: **Nada. Swearing? Maybe. It's like a collection of drabbles- they're choppy, they're random. Whee.

**Word Count: **925

*****THIS IS A LIST OF DRABBLES! THEY DO NOT ALL NECESSARILY HAVE TO CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER, AND THEY ARE NOT IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER!*****

~~&~&~&~& CHASE&~&~&~&~~

_Story & Idea by _

_Bored Konoha Kunoichi_

_Life. _

_It's so full—**overflowing**—with emotion._

_But _everything_ follows__**accordingly**__ to_

_YoUr OwN aCtIoNs._

_So chase, Chase and CHASE what's beyond_

_**YoUr ReAcH**_

_To obtain the **happy **things, the LAUGHTER, the happiness—_

_.  
_**.**

_**...ONE...**_

**Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.**

**.**

**.**

Naruto hurriedly engulfed his third bowl of beef ramen. One too many times late, he decided that he didn't have to wait for Kakashi every single time. Whatever cheerful comment flew out of Sai's mouth was ignored, and Sasuke stared blankly into his bowl, occasionally stirring the soup with his chopsticks. The only thing was that _she wasn't there. _The blonde slowed his eating pace.

"Hey bastard, she's not coming today either, you know."

"…"

"She said she had a late shift. Coincidentally on our weekly dinner date that she's missed for the fourth time in a row ever since she brought you back from the brink of death after that mission," he stuffed a mouthful, not yet sparing a glance at said bastard, "isn't that convenient?"

_For her, and for YOU._

Sasuke dipped his spoon. The liquid invaded the hollow spoon, and his own reflection met his eyes. The metal dipper clanged with the bowl from the kitchen, and three commoners passed as they chatted. Time urged a response.

"…she expected too much."

"No, she didn't," Naruto sighed, "She expected you to accept her as your equal, as your friend and a subordinate that you can work with. She saved your god damn life countless times. And you pushed her away again_,_ stupid. It's not complicated. Can't you at least be somewhat civil? A little thank you or something?"

"Dickless, what standard of civil are you asking from traitor?" Sai came to Sasuke's rescue, "technically the level of civility can vary due to certain relations shared between particular people—"

"Shut up, Sai," Naruto brushed him off. He turned to Sasuke expectantly, ready to hear an excuse-of-an explanation about this idiotic tension between his teammates.

"Hn, it's not…" Sasuke trailed off, struggling to search for the word, "simple_. _I can't be herfriend_. _I can't. I can't give her what she expects."

"She's not the one with the high expectations, you are," Naruto turned back to his ramen. Sasuke gave him an incredulous stare, eyebrows furrowed.

"What are you talking about?" he snapped.

Sakura was the problem. She was the one being childish and _s__he _was the root of this whole deal that the dobe blew out of proportions and nagged him about. He played absolutely no part in being the one at fault.

"You're pushing yourself like always," Naruto started, "like extra training, extra-clean jobs during missions, hell, you did extra work back in the academy."

"How the hell does this relate to me and Sak—"

"The _point is,_" Naruto growled, "this isn't a fucking mission. You don't have to go that extra mile. You don't have to push yourself to care more than she asks for. What are you expecting, for her to give you a gold star if you do? '_great job, Sasuke, you care for me with an exceptional effort!'_That is not how this shit works, man."

Naruto took a sip of his water, and Sasuke could not bring himself to retort. He only held his silence.

"Let me repeat to you just what she asked for: acceptance. Acknowledgement. Not _love. _If you can't bring yourself to love her, then don't, just be a friend. When the fuck did she even ask you love her?"

"I—"

"No, wait, she _didn't,_" he cut off Sasuke, "It's not Sakura who's being the drama queen, you are. It's _you _who's expecting yourself to love her. You're sitting here, brooding and being all -who's-always-the-victim-of-all-fucking-situations, but in truth, she's the one who's suffering from your idiosyncrasy. It's always your own fault; you push yourself to do something beyond your reach and end up blaming the world or _whatever _you emos do_._"

Sasuke gripped his chopsticks harder. Naruto, _Naruto for kami's sake_ had somewhat logically put together a half-assed lecture to waste his time. The worst part was that the rant actually _didn't _ sound half-assed, and every word stuck in his head.

"Well? Anything you wanna say back to be pretty boy?" Naruto fished out the rest of his noodles. "Like I said, you don't have to love her. You never had to. It's just really a bastardly thing to leave her like this while you're sorting yourself out. So will you at least pull that stick out of your ass and do something so Sakura-chan doesn't avoid you like a plague?"

"I can't." Sasuke said firmly, "I said already. I _can't _bring myself to be her…" _ cringe_ "..friend."

Naruto sighed. Stubbornness was always hard to deal with. But he soon split out into a grin.

"Alright, so you have be Mr. Perfect_. _Fine. Do whatever you want. Just don't upset her too much."

Naruto added, "Her shift ends in half an hour, you know."

Before he could add anymore chastisements, Sasuke was gone from his stool with his money splayed on the counter. Naruto casually ordered another bowl of pork ramen, and Sai gave a blank stare at the now-empty stool beside the blonde, and at the monstrous number of empty bowls stacked on top of each other. As he picked up his chopsticks, Naruto decided that there was not much to worry.

Uchihas always had some method to end up achieving what they strived for.

* * *

_-Stretch- "Hm, that was a long shift….Sasuke, what are you doing here?"_

_ "…."_

_ "Are you injured? Do you need me to take a look—"_

_ "I was on my way home."_

_ "Okay then." –walks- "isn't your house in the other direction?"_

_ "…I have business somewhere."_

_ "Okay then."_

…_.__**THE END**__…_…

* * *

**** Editted July 2011, courtesy of my new beta sakuraitachilover. Thank you for your work!**

* * *

**A/N: **Hoped you enjoyed. More shall be on the way :D

-**REVIEW or I'LL REVIVE DEI-CHAN BACK FROM THE DEAD AND SEND HIM AFTER YOOOOUUU! I miss Dei****dara****. And his 'un's and 'yeah's. And all the clay explosion awesomeness. Yeah. **


	2. Communication

**A/N:** Sadly, this is not a Christmas-fic. But something holiday related will be up in two days' time at most.

But Merry Christmas to those to celebrate it—otherwise, Happy Holidays!

**Disclaimer: **DNON.

**Warning:** Nothing, except spelling and grammatical errors which come naturally with the fact that I am not hundred percent fluent in English.

But I don't even think this constitutes as fluffy.

**Word Count: **1187

Once again, ****This is a DRABBLE, meaning not all the chapters are necessarily connected or done in a chronological order****

Enjoy.

* * *

**~~~~~Chase~~~~~**

_Idea and Story  
by  
Bored Konoha Kunoichi_

_._

_.._

…

_.._

_._

**TWO**

**Marry someone you love to talk to... As you get older, their**

**conversational skills will be as important as any other.**

.

..

.

"Good afternoon,"

"…"

Sakura accepted the silent invitation, and slid across the wooden floor to her husband with a tray in hand. He sat upright on the edge of the floor, his feet planted firmly on the dirt below and his leathered hands gathered atop his cane.

"I brought tea," Sakura said as she bent down, careful not to strain her back.

She set the tray down and took her place on the floor as well. Sasuke remained rigid, gazing out into their backyard. The sun didn't quite reach his face, and his long, graying bangs swayed in his vision, creating shadows that gave his gaunt face an even more haunted look.

His exposed arm displayed scars—the trophies of fights won, men killed and missions accomplished. The black yukata that once fit him snuggly now simply hung, but consistence exercise had deterred time, and every hard hour spent was ingrained into his slender arms and bony back. His statue-like posture still radiated power.

Yet, despite his intimidating guise, a drained weariness hovered about him. And the combination of this fatigue and stiffness concocted a strange veil of fragility that made it seem as if a bit of force could instigate a domino effect and destroy the whole infrastructure of this man.

_Like a pyramid of cards_, Sakura concluded.

"Did you hear me?" she said, and he nodded, but did not turn to look. Sakura observed his habitual pensive state, and wondered what sorts of grave matters could possibly be preoccupying the old man.

_Grave, _she scoffed, _as if._ She then took her own cup for a sip.

"Suzu said she was visiting today, and so might Masa-kun and Dai-kun," she informed, "she's helping me prepare dinner. But since we're going to the market together later, we might eat a little late today."

He grunted.

"Hey, I didn't say I wasn't feeding you," she said, "the point I'm trying to make is that you have to handle the children by yourself if the boys are too busy to come."

His hand left the cane, and he twisted his torso to grab his tea, each movement carried out with the fluidity of an aged lion lazing about atop his throne. He glanced up at Sakura, but the silver-pink strands veiled her face as she looked into the garden herself.

"I trust you to be capable of keeping your own grandchildren in line," she questioned (ordered), "and that means they stay out of the kitchen, the attic, our bedroom, but on the compound at all times. I left some sliced tomatoes and apples in the fridge, so feed them when you think it's necessary. You can help yourself too."

"…"

"Sasuke, take them out and show them a few tricks. They've been dying to learn from you," she glanced at him, "Suzu's already taught them how to start manipulating fire, and I think they're ready to learn much more.

"Ino's fighting with Shikamaru over the kids again. She steals them from her daughter _and_ son all the time, but we all know that surprisingly, Shikamaru finds children much less troublesome than women. His own, anyways. He practically raised his kids himself, and well, I guess he feels the sentiment towards his grandchildren," Sakura said.

"You remember when he used to walk his kids to the academy every morning?"

"I remember," Sasuke commented.

"Who had time to do that? He really outdid himself…but then, I guess staying with the children is less terrifying than staying with his wife."

Sakura set the cup down again. "Mm, last Saturday she told me that Gaara's son's visiting with his family. Gaara's too busy to come himself, but I'm sure he sends his best regards," she said, now looking directly at Sasuke with her hands surrounding the cup in an endearing way.

"Maybe we should travel again sometimes?"

"Travel?" he questioned.

"Somewhere. Anywhere. Even just to Suna to see friends." She saw the question still present in his eye.

"I just think that we've been too preoccupied with internal affairs recently. We aren't, or can't, really be assigned regular missions now. You being a clan head and things," she said sardonically, "But I miss seeing the world, Sasuke. I miss the thrill of being somewhere that's not…here. I refuse to believe that I got to see and learn enough in my career. I'm happy right now, but everyone can use a bit of break from the mundane."

She took another sip of tea. "I miss being an ambassador, too."

As Sasuke silently contemplated her words, she began again. "Have you decided on a gift for Dai-kun yet? He's turning, what? Twenty-seven already?" she sighed, "I don't know what to get him anymore. He's our youngest and I can't help spoiling him with gadgets and tools every year. You can't either. But he's so grown now, I'm not sure he'll still appreciate it."

"Ah," Sasuke acknowledged her dilemma.

The two paused as each consumed their respective tea. Sakura had resorted back to looking at the garden, but Sasuke turned to her direction.

"Sakura-"

"Mom I'm here!"

Sasuke had opened his mouth to call her name, but it coincided with Suzu's arrival. A rumble of chatter and footsteps also echoed through the wooden walls of the compound.

"Mom, where are you?" Suzu called out again, and Sasuke adjusted himself back to his original position.

"By the back garden, sweetie," Sakura shouted back. She gathered her clothes to stand, setting the cups in the tray to take with her. But before she could do so, Sasuke spoke.

"We'll make plans," he said, "I can arrange a timeslot." She stared at him puzzled.

"Rock Country holds some sort of festival around this time of year," he clarified, "you'd enjoy that."

Sakura's lips turned up into a satisfying smile. "It'd better be at least a week," she warned him, lifting the tray off the wooden floor. "If we're going that far, we might as well stay a little."

At that instant, the paper doors behind her slid open, revealing their daughter.

"There you two are," Suzu said, brushing the black strands out of her face, "What are you doing out back?"

"Talking," Sakura said.

"I'll take that," Suzu took the tray from her mother, but couldn't help but think out loud, "Talk? Since when did daddy talk?"

"He doesn't," Sakura whispered with an added shrug. She looked down at Sasuke's back. "We're leaving as soon as we put this in the kitchen," she said, indicating the cups, "I entrust my grandchildren in your hands for the next hour or two."

She finished with a mock smile that Sasuke didn't see, but could feel from her words.

"I still don't get you two. How do you converse?" Suzu mused as she walked her mother through the rooms to the kitchen, and to the children.

Sakura smiled, "You get used to it."

And a few yards behind them, Uchiha Sasuke lazily lifted himself up from the floor, preparing himself to receive his grandchildren. He made a mental note that the trip to Rock would be ten days, and in three weeks' time.

* * *

***Editted July 2011 thanks to my beta, sakuraitachilover! Thank you for your hard work!**

****Cleaned up January 2012**

* * *

**A/N:** Written on the plane.

**THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO REVIEWED: **(Because I debated not finishing this project…haha.)

**AmayaAmazing, Spazz884, Air Angel32, KittyAnimeLuvr, leahuk, xXxPoisonedAngelxXx, SHINIGAMI to TENSHI, Hunny-senapi, Jill-Kun, Uchiha-Kirara, mannd1068, AkaEyes**

**REVIEW or I'll revive Sai's brother again so we can all burn out eyes out at seeing double-half-shirtedness in one panel. (But if I could, I would really revive him for Sai's sake.)**


	3. Expression

**A/N:**Happy Summer. Wherever you may be, I hope it's not raining as much as it is here. My weekend vacation' plans are canceled thanks to thunderstorm warnings. Good bye, beach, maybe I'll see you next year.

**DNON IWID:**_**donotownnaruto iwishidid.**_

**Warning:** Swearing. Kissing. _Eeeew. Kissing.  
_Also, the chapters are stand-by-itself-one-shots. They may relate, but not necessarily chronologically.

**Word Count:**2602

**SPECIAL THANKS TO:**My beta, **sakuraitachilover**! She offered to beta my stories- which I had never gotten done before. She helped me enhance the story, and rid it of extremely gross grammar or spelling mistakes. Cheers, my dears!

* * *

**.).).)Chase(.(.(.**

_Idea and Story  
by  
Bored Konoha Kunoichi_

_._

(.)

.(.)(.)(.).

(.)

**THREE**

**When you say "I love you," mean it.**

(.)

.(.)(.)(.).

(.)

.

"Sake please," Sakura ordered as she tapped on the foreign bar counter.

"Sure thing," the bartender nodded curtly before disappearing behind the counter.

Sakura faced away from the bar towards the dance floor, resting both her elbows on the counter top. She took the moment to quickly survey the throng of people, silhouetted by the flash of colors, along with the occasional strobe light. Through the corner of her eye, she spotted a handsome brunette sauntering her way, a hand in his pocket and his other rubbing the scruff on his chin.

_Perfect,_ she thought, recognizing her target. According to reports, (and rumors) the man, called Kenji, favored women dressed in red, and dress in red Sakura did. She had slipped on a rose-red halter dress, and turned her hair brown for security measures. She had hoped the dress would help, but she hadn't imagined that her target would conveniently deliver himself to her like this.

Sakura leaned back more, jutting her chest out. She stared intently at the Kenji, flirtatiously twirling her currently-brown hair with her fingers then brushing it aside. Kenji soon noticed her and he steered his course directly towards where she stood. _Bingo,_ she thought, inwardly smirking.

"Here you are, miss," the bartender set down Sakura's order with a click. With an appreciative nod, Sakura dismissed the bartender and turned back towards the bar for her drink. She humored the cup, swirling the contents and waiting for her target to reach her. _This is going to go smoothly._

"Hey babe," a deep voice called out. Sakura put on her come-hither-eyes, ready to seduce her target, and turned.

Her breath stopped short when an expanse of blemished skin and a rotten, repugnant grin greeted her. A chubby man with beady but predatory eyes loomed before her, and she couldn't even see her target beyond the mass of fat that was trying to hit on her.

_Crap._

Sakura calmly turned back to her drink, purposely ignoring the fat man.

"Shy, are you?" the fat man leaned beside her, "You look like you're new around these parts. Why don't we step out and I can show you around?"

Sakura took a sip of her sake, "No thanks."

"Come on, don't be like that," the man insisted, lifting Sakura's chin, "I'll show you a good time."

Annoyed, she slapped his hand away.

"I said I wasn't interested."

"I can change that," the man roughly grabbed her arm and caressed her cheek, "Don't make this hard. I wouldn't want to hurt your pretty little self."

_Don't hit him, Sakura, don't blow your cover._ She faked a wince and tried to pull away, "Could you please let go?"

He began chuckling, "That's not an option honey."

"I believe the lady said she wasn't interested," a smooth voice said beside them, and Sakura turned to see her target, Kenji, who had ironically come to her rescue. Sakura smiled hopefully at Kenji, and he returned it with a smirk.

The fat man didn't release his hold on Sakura. "And who the hell are you?"

"Just a passing gentleman who couldn't bear to see a sleazy bastard bothering a beautiful lady," Kenji said, "sewer rats should go play with other low lives. Leave the lady alone."

The fat man only tugged Sakura's arm harder, angrier. "She's coming with me, you fucker."

Kenji had only succeeded in provoking the man, and Sakura's smile dropped. She mentally growled. _And there's another idiot to add to the long list._

"Leave her alone."

"What's it to you? She doesn't know you."

"She doesn't know you either."

"Fuck off you cocky bastard!"

"Let her go fat-ass!"

"What'd you say—"

"She's not interested in either of you," a baritone voice interrupted. Sakura immediately recognized the voice, and not at all pleased to hear it. _Dummy, this wasn't part of the plan,_ she sighed, and looked up. Needless to say, there stood Uchiha Sasuke, dressed in slacks and a button up and under a henge, glaring at both strangers who stood beside Sakura.

"She's with me," he said, hands in his pockets. _My hero, _Sakura thought sarcastically, and she watched him carefully. She had no idea what he was thinking, let alone why he adamantly abandoned his surveillance duty. She had told him to observe from a distance (because it's easier for Kenji to hit on a woman if she's alone), and he had agreed to it. He was supposed to watch for threat, follow her to aid in killing when she successfully led Kenji to a back room and intervene only if the worst came to worst. He had followed none of these conditions. At this rate, he could possibly ruin the whole set up. Or rather, _he just did._

But what could she do? It wasn't as if she could just shoo Sasuke away and back into his original post. Even if she claimed that she didn't know him, he would stubbornly stay, only hurting Sakura's credibility to Kenji.

He was now here and part of the act. She would have to utilize him.

Upon Sasuke's entrance, he had grabbed the attention of the fat man, causing the man's grip on her arm to loosen. So Sakura took advantage of the distraction by ripping away from the fat man and clung to Sasuke's arm instead.

_Fine. Two can play at this game._

"Oh Dai, I've been looking for you," Sakura said lewdly, and Sasuke raised a brow at her makeshift code name for him. She battered her eyes at him. "Why were you so late?"

"I had business to take care of," Sasuke replied.

She jabbed his back hard with her index finger, and he inched his arm around her petite waist.

The fat man and Kenji stared at the two, unconvinced by their interaction.

"You really with this pretty boy?" the fat man began, "he looks too pretty to me to like a girl."

Sasuke growled, "Fuck off."

"You wanna go?" The fat man raised his fist, provoking Sasuke.

Sakura wanted to laugh at the man's misfortune—he had just raised a fist at an Uchiha. The fat man obviously did not recognize Sasuke in his disguise. But she did not have time for Sasuke to act on his irritation. She clutched his shirt. _Don't get worked up._

"At least he looks better than you," Kenji said, then smirking, eyed Sakura. "Such a shame though. The lady can do much, _much _better than a pretty wimp like this."

"Yeah. Bet you can't even land a punch," the fat man urged. "What a fucktard. What, you gonna glare at me like that all day? What else are you gonna do? Huh? What else?"  
Sakura could feel Sasuke's vexation and tried to tug him in another direction but Sasuke's feet were rooted firmly on the spot.

The fat man laughed derisively, "See? See? Can't do nothing. A pretty face like that don't do anything but walk around for show. Right asshole? That chick's gonna leave you real soon, you just wait. Girls with tight little bodies like that don't stick around a man for long," he grinned, "Gonna say anything back? You mute? Huh—"

_That's it,_ Sasuke decided: the man's stupidity had pushed his patience too far. He pushed away from Sakura, his fist ready and charged with chakra.

At that instant, Sakura pulled him back with her monstrous strength. She could sense the mass of chakra infused into his punch, and his strength would surely reveal that they were ninjas—right in front of their target.

_Why were all men idiots? _She lamented.

But she had to think quickly to salvage the situation_._ Sakura swallowed hard before crushing her lips onto Sasuke's. She ground her lips harshly against his, though he didn't respond. Easing the pressure, her tongue darted out to lick his lip and sucked softly. Finally, when she felt him become still, she released him. She wrapped one hand around his raised fist. Kenji raised a brow, and the fat man who had shrunken in fear of getting hit, glanced up.

"Dai, Calm down," she entreated, coaxing sweetly.

"Yeah, what are you getting worked up about?" the fat man mouthed off again, cracking his neck as if he weren't cowering like a mouse seconds ago.

Sasuke struggled to contain the urge give the fat man a well-deserved beating, but she pulled him back yet again, subtly digging her heels into his feet. She put herself in his arms, and looked straight into his eyes.

"Sweetie, please. They didn't do anything to me," she said with a smile, then playfully placed another chaste kiss on Sasuke's lips. "I love you. You know that. So no need to cause a ruckus."

As her words ended, the loud music blared into their ears again. Sakura ignored Sasuke's lack of response along with the fat man's mocks, and pulled Sasuke away from the bar.

"Let's get out of here, love," she said flirtatiously, "we have better things to do."

Sparing a last glance at their target, who had, for better or for worse, another day to live, she then guided Sasuke through the crowd and slipped out of the club.

* * *

"What the hell were you thinking."

Sakura ran a hand through her hair, letting the night breeze play with her pink locks and the hem of her dress. She had led her partner to the deserted alleyway which they had designated much earlier as their rendezvous. Deeming the place secure, she had dropped her henge.

"Sakura."

"You know what? Don't even," Sakura held up a hand, and swiveled on the spot to face him. "You just almost jeopardized the mission. Our mission."

She approached him, a finger pointing accusingly at his chest.

"Maybe you're forgetting that we're supposed to be working together." He certainly hadn't forgotten his still-throbbing toes that she had stepped on earlier.

"As much as I don't like it, you are my partner and I am yours. You fail, I fail. You were supposed to cooperate. And what did you do?" she rolled her eyes, "you went against the plan, got worked up by a drunk idiot, and nearly started a fight. Right in front of our target."

"Sakura—"

"You are such an idiot! Why couldn't you trust me enough to let me handle the situation?" she jabbed at his chest, her eyes pouring into his. "Don't play stupid, I know why you jumped in. You were supposed to keep watch until the situation got bad."

"A sack of blubber hitting on me was not an emergency," she added.

Sakura held her gaze defiantly, hoping that she could nail into Sasuke's head that he did, in fact, mess up. Sasuke, on the other hand, did not care for her reprimanding him—that he had expected when he decided to help her wiggle away from the fat man. He stuffed his hands in his pockets. It was almost a practiced speech that she used whenever she thought Sasuke-apparently-didn't-do-something-right-but-doesn't-admit-it. And he of course firmly believed that he made the right decision.

What Sasuke was waiting for, however, was about something else.

"We need a new plan," she sighed as she backed off, "a new disguise, a new dress—Kenji's bound to recognize me if I wore the same clothes-"

"That's it?" Sasuke asked before he could stop himself.

Sakura stopped short. "What's what?"

"That's all you have to say?"

"About what?"

"…"

"I can't read minds, you know."

"…"

"Well, did you want to say something?"

"Do you put on a show like that often during missions?"

Sakura looked puzzled for a second. Then the corners of her lips twitched up, and she laughed. This was, after all, Sasuke's first duo mission with her.

"What, the kiss got you?" she smirked, "It's a mission. Don't tell me that it's your first."

"It wasn't," Sasuke lied. But the kiss hadn't really fazed him. He understood that Sakura had put up an act to save both their asses, and truthfully, he thanked her for stopping him.

But, 'I love you'?

Sasuke had always taken Sakura as someone careful with her choice of words. But for her say those words so nonchalantly—did she even realize what she had said?

"You don't look satisfied," Sakura teased crossing her arms, "something else is bothering you."

"Since when did you become a psychologist?" he said.

"Since when did you get so talkative?"

"Since when did you get so curious?"

"Since when did this become twenty questions?" Sakura said, "But seriously, tell me. Now I'm curious."

"…since when did you throw your words around so lightly?"

At hearing Sasuke reveal his real question, Sakura smiled.

"It's not that I throw them around lightly," she said, "it's that they're light to begin with."

"Even at a technical view point," Sakura continued, "they're sound waves. They weight nothing. They carry nothing. They don't stay. They're useless."

"You didn't always believe that," he stated—he believed that.

"Maybe not," she mused, "but I've learned."

"Or maybe you've conformed," Sasuke retorted, surprising both himself and Sakura. He suddenly felt stupid for sounding so sentimental.

"This is so unlike you. Did I do something?" Sakura asked.

Sakura saw his face tense, and she knew she had hit right on. Sasuke saw the determined amusement, and knowing that she would not stop pestering him until he answered, he sighed.

"You," he took a deep breath. "You said 'I love you,' earlier."

"Don't tell me that it's still about my little act," she said teasingly, putting up a hand to caress Sasuke's cheek. He suddenly became aware of their proximity, and the heat she radiated in the cool night.

"Do you need to hear it again?" Sakura murmured and cupped Sasuke's face with both her hands. With a small tug at the corner of her lips, she whispered:

"I love you."

Sasuke stared hard. Sakura's green eyes stood out brilliantly in the shadow of the alley, and they seemed gentle, begging. Pink strands framed her face, but swayed ever so slightly with each heave of her breath. She looked so damn sincere that he wanted to believe her. But he couldn't. He knew better.

A smile cracked her façade, and Sakura laughed cordially.

"See? They're so easy to say," she said, "I can say it again, too. I love you. I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you _so_ much—"

"Stop," he ordered.

"They're just words, Sasuke. Nothing in the world is as empty as words."

Sasuke wrapped his hand around hers that cupped his face.

"But do you always mean what you say?" _Did you mean what you said?_

"Does it make a difference?"

"Yes."

"It didn't last time," she rephrased the question, "Will it make a difference to you?"

He paused.

"No."

"Then no," Sakura shook Sasuke's hand off hers and stepped back, away from him. "But I think I make a darn good actress."

She turned away from him, walking along the cement street to the exit of the alley. "Come on, enough with the silly stuff. We don't have all night, you know. Kenji's not staying long in this town, and we need to think up a new approach."

Sasuke followed suit. She was right. They had wasted too much time.

But he wasn't quite done.

"You should try meaning what you say," he said. His own words felt foreign to his lips—but they felt hearty. Substantial. Sakura kept walking.

"If you use them carefully, maybe they'll work better."

Sakura didn't turn, but her airy, melancholy laugh echoed along the cement walls.

"I don't believe you," she said, "convince me."

Then she disappeared, heading back first to their motel. She left behind a dust carrying breeze, as light as her words.

But her words were so damn frank that Sasuke wanted to believe in her again.

* * *

*** Cleaned up January 2012**

* * *

**A/N:**Why does everything turn out longer than it was in my head?

**Thanks to Everyone who Reviewed:**(Sorry that I never reply to reviews.)

**LEGNA, Broken(dot)Heart(dot)Of(dot)Snow, daisherz365, Runswithsizzors, Spazz8884**

**(SPOILER WARNING)**

**-REVIEW or you will find Madara's Jinchuuriki army of both the Sharingan and Rinnegan at your Door-**


	4. Union

**A/N:** Gurren Lagann is kickass asskicking.

**DNON IWID: _donotownnaruto iwishidid._**

**Warning:** Swearing. Kissing. _Eeeew. Kissing.  
_Also, the chapters are stand-by-itself-one-shots. They may relate, but not necessarily chronologically.

**Word Count: **1173

* * *

**Chase  
**_Idea and story by_  
_Bored Konoha Kunoichi _

_F_

_FO_

_FOU_

_FOUR_

**Four.**

** Be engaged at least six months before you get married.**

_FOUR_

_FOU_

_FO_

_F_

"Kakashi, marry us."

"What the hell?" Sakura exclaimed as she kicked a rock nin in the face with a satisfying crack. She dodged a shuriken and spun around to come back to back with Sasuke.

"Sasuke, I didn't know you were into polygamy," Kakashi said from the other side of the radio, "nor men, for that matter. But if you insist, I can't resist."

"I meant, act as a minister for me and Sakura," the Uchiha said with ease, lowering his stance, his kusanagi in hand.

The enemy on his right lunged, and Sasuke swiftly plunged his sword into the opponent's torso. As another advanced, he simply ducked to let Sakura jump over him and deliver a punch. He pulled his sword back out, and the pair resumed their back-to-back fighting position. A crowd of rock ninjas circled them once again.

"I don't think," Sakura said, seeing one jump at her adamantly, "I ever consented. Let alone—" kick. "receive a proposal."

"You just did."

"Very sweet of you," Sakura growled, her fists clenching. She swept her eyes over her surroundings.

Four. Eight. Eleven.

There were eleven enemies, Sakura counted.

"Did you want a ring?"

And Sasuke was about to make himself the twelth.

"Sasuke, shut up. Sakura, don't do anything stupid," Kakashi warned over the radio and Sakura rolled her eyes. As if she would really.

"I know, Kakashi. He's not worth it," she scoffed and whispered to Sasuke, "now."

Sasuke leapt high as Sakura mercilessly punched the ground, which sank deep in a blink of an eye. A few fortunate enemies avoided critical damage, but the rest went down with the freshly-made crater.

Without a moment to lose, Sasuke activated his chidori and swung the chain of lightning towards the enemy.

When he landed back on the ground, he saw Sakura fighting close range with the left over ninjas. He saw a kunai cut her face and dashed to provide support.

"Don't. I can handle this myself," she warned him through the communicator, at whom he scowled. She sensed another squad nearby. "You've got company yourself."

Sakura wiped the blood off her cheek and lunged at the female nin in front of her. A chakra string swung her way, but with her own chakra Sakura reversed the direction of the string and diced her enemy's flesh instead. Pieces of carcass rained onto the dirt.

"That's attractive," Sakura muttered.

"Who's attractive?" Kakashi caught her words.

"What happened?" Sasuke joined in from midst his fight.

"No, it's just…" Sakura said, glancing at the bloody field and the opponents looming behind her, "it's not a very romantic place for a wedding."

"Well, we are at war," Kakashi added dryly.

"It's because we're in a middle of a war," Sasuke explained, annoyed, "Sakura, you're being sent back to the base, but I'm being sent to the front lines in Rock country."

Sakura rolled her eyes as she did a hand spring and leapt. "Am I the only one not making the connections here or are you just verbally challenged?"

Kakashi buzzed through the communication line. "You guys won't see each other again for a while. I think what he's trying to say is—"

"I'm sure Sasuke can speak for himself," Sakura said in mid-air, and delivered a final barrage into a man's back that created another crater to add to the one earlier. She sighed as she straightened herself.

"Kakashi's right, Sakura," Sasuke said, "I don't know when I'll see you again. I might not come back at all."

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard," Sakura interrupted, "Of course you'll come back alive. All of you will. You always do."

She removed herself from her handiwork, dusting her hands. A ninja who was feigning unconsciousness jumped at Sakura from behind, but Sasuke had already returned from his fight and sliced the enemy before he could near her.

"Thanks," Sakura murmured.

She glanced around. The enemy unit had been defeated, at least for now.

Sasuke approached her, a slight limp in his leg.

"Sakura, you have to stop being naive," he admonished.

"And you have to stop being so pessimistic."

"Face the truth. This is a war. We're putting our lives at stake," Sasuke raised his voice and took a pause. "Look. I haven't been fair with you."

"Fair is an understatement, you prick," she glared. "You're always so reserved; I can't guess what's going on in your head. The way you talk around everything, having me guess your intentions, it frustrates me. Then I worry, maybe I'm thinking into it too much, maybe you don't mean anything—you've been confusing me, and I'm confused, alright—

"So let me clarify."

Sakura pursed her lips.

"We aren't engaged."

Step forward.

"I know."

"We're not even dating," she added.

"I'll take you out when I get back."

Another step forward.

"We haven't kissed, we haven't held hands, we haven't—"

Grab, tilt, and—

Kiss.

Bzzz.

"My lovely students," Kakashi cracked through the radio, "hate to interrupt whatever you're doing, but we have company. From Southwest and zooming in fast."

_BOOM_.

"By fast, I do mean now."

Smoke and dust rolled over the forest like an avalanche.

Sakura ripped away from Sasuke, and as soon as the two teleported to nearby treetops, a rain of needles showered on the ground they had just been standing on.

As they both erased their chakra signatures, Sasuke activated his Sharingan to scan the area; one, three…six. There were fewer enemies, but their chakra levels read higher than the previous troops.

Sakura touched his shoulder.

"Let's do it," she grinned.

Sasuke nodded and pulled out his kusanagi, but she halted his movements by grabbing his wrist.

"No, I mean, let's do it. Let's get married," she repeated.

He smirked.

And with a hand signal, they both jumped into the battle field.

"Kakashi, you heard her. Do it," Sasuke ordered.

"Are you two sure?" Kakashi said.

"Yeah, why not," Sakura shrugged, charging her fists with chakra, "no harm done, right?"

"Just do it already," Sasuke gritted.

"Alright, if you say so," Kakashi cleared his throat. "Dearly beloved, we gather you here today to—"

"Skip to the vows. It's not necessary," Sasuke interrupted as he created a wall of fire.

Kakashi paused. "Okay then, to the vows. Haruno Sakura, do you take this asshole student of mine—"

"On second thought, just skip the vows too," Sakura urged and expertly threw a few chakra scalpels.

"Seriously? No vows? That is not okay," Kakashi said sarcastically.

"Get on with it," Sasuke growled.

"No. Vows are the point of the whole thing. What's the purpose of this marriage again? Really, I know you take it from me but you two are the most unconventional couple I know—"

Another explosion.

"KAKASHI!"

"Fine, fine, I now pronounce you husband and wife," Kakashi rolled his eyes. "You may now kiss the damn bride."

Crash.

_Boom._

Kick.

Jump, and-

Kiss.

* * *

_"Sasuke. Rock country, right?"_

_"Yeah."_

_"Rock country has nice jewels."_

_"…I'll get you a ring."_

* * *

**A/N:** ...drabble. DRABBLE. I don't think I understand the point of a drabble series.

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed last chapter!  
****The Last Tear, SasukeMyBro, JaxWin, sakuraitachilover, annee loves sasusaku, kumikoX3chan, Runswithsizzors, WednesdaySnow**


	5. Deviation

**A/N: **Justice League is inspiration.

Flash, TAKE ME.

**DNON IWID: _donotownnaruto iwishidid._**

**Warning:** ...

Also, the chapters are stand-by-itself-one-shots. They may relate, but not necessarily chronologically.

**Word Count: 723**

**Thank you to JaxWin and SasukeMyBro for your support. :)**

* * *

**Chase**

_Idea and story by_

_Bored Konoha Kunoichi_

**Five**

**The DO NOTs—**

**DON'T**

******Spend all you have**

**Believe all you hear**

**Sleep all you want**

**5.**

**Don't spend all you have.**

**..**

"Half the price."

"No can do, little lady."

"This is ridiculous," she snorted.

"Then find yourself another inn."

Sakura glared at the gaunt innkeeper, who firmly stood his ground behind the counter.

The man ran a shabby inn in the middle of the forest in Rain country, a kind of ominous path that no civilian would dare travel through. The walls smelt of dirt, the wooden pillars looked weathered and dust bred more dust in corners of furniture and the ceiling. No doubt the inn rarely saw customers and he was trying to make ends meet by trying to squeeze her wallet dry.

Her hands fingered the money pouch in her pocket. She had only prepared enough cash to buy provisions in a case of an emergency, which was not nearly enough to cover the cost he called for.

"If you're going to stay, pay up, missy. I don't have all day and the weather's getting pretty bad."

Sakura growled, blowing her wet hair out of her face. The thunder roared outside as the rain slobbered over the earth, though in truth the weather did not pose a problem to her. She could easily camp outside, as she has always done; find a cave or shelter inside a tree until it all settled down.

Sasuke was the problem, really.

Sakura glanced back at the unconscious dark haired man she had eased into a nearby chair. His fever ran high, and he emitted a weak groan amidst whatever delusions he must be having.

He could not survive outside. Right now, he needed somewhere dry and warm, and this was the only inn around for miles.

She pursed her lips and muttered curses, but turned back to the innkeeper.

"I'm not paying more than 60% of that."

"70."

"Fine. Deal," Sakura gave in, "just give me the key."

She emptied her wallet completely on the counter, and hoisted Sasuke up by the shoulder to drag him to their room. She was cold, penniless and very far from completing her actual mission.

_He owes me for this,_ she thought.

"Food's not included in the cost!" The innkeeper yelled after them.

Sakura rolled her eyes.

_He owes me big time._

Tomorrow morning, she would have to hunt.

...

* * *

**5.33333333**

**Don't believe all you hear**

**...**

It began as a harmless question to the hospital nurse about Sakura's whereabouts.

"I heard she was on an escort mission…"

Naruto then asked the entrance guards.

"…stuck in Snow country because of the weather…"

Then the bartender at their regular bar.

"…I heard she's been missing for days…"

Then the grocery shop owner.

"…took a detour, ignored her orders…"

Then the women walking in the park.

"…helped a small village recuperate after the war…"

Then all the civilians.

"…having a secret affair with the Kazekage…"

"…captured by a spy…"

"…no, no, no, with the Kazekage's _brother_ is what I heard…"

"…a jealous lady targeted her apartments…"

"…why, I just saw her yesterday!"

Naruto stared at the little old women who ran the vegetable stand beam at him.

"She just bought a juicy bag of apples!" the lady informed him merrily, at which he raised a brow.

Naruto crossed his arms.

He hadn't seen Sakura for at least a month, and tried to deduce her location by piercing together the information [gossip] he had just gathered.

"So...Sakura-chan was on an escort mission to Snow but got stuck there because of the weather and while trying to make it back she lost her way, ran into a small village that she helped reconstruct, then visited Gaara where she was attacked by someone then met with Kankuro and got attacked again and she was in the village yesterday buying apples...?"

Naruto furrowed his brows.

...

"WHERE ARE YOU SAKURA-CHAN?"

...

* * *

**5. 66666666666**

**Don't sleep all you want**

**...**

There was blood, there was water.

There were explosions and shadows that followed.

Sasuke felt himself sinking into the warm ground beneath him like quicksand, his imminent death strangely comforting. He labored to breathe as the heat infiltrated his nostrils, his dry mouth gasping for salvation.

Something pried his lips apart and cool water slid down his parched throat, alleviating the heavy oppression on his mind.

Only then did Sasuke register that he had been dreaming.

The softness of the sheets felt alien, a comfort he hadn't ruled in months that puzzled him. Even in travel or rest he slept the minimal amount to maintain his health, no more, and usually camping proved sufficient for him.

He attempted to lift his arms, but his muscles refused to listen. The effort began to strain his neck and he growled, until a light touch on his forehead halted him.

"…sleep…"

A voice drifted— it was distorted and barely recognizable, but it was a command that Sasuke found himself obeying.

He let his body ease back into the sheets.

And first time in a long time, Sasuke slept.

* * *

**A/N: **Something much shorter. Might continue. Hope you enjoyed :)

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed!**

Mistressinwaiting, ILoveSxS, xc wings, SasukeMyBro, Angelface714, JaxWin


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